Uppsala-Dalarna Dementia and Gait Project Using Timed Up-and-Go Dual-Task Test for Early Identification and Prediction of Dementia

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying a new way to identify early signs of cognitive problems and risk of dementia by combining a walking test called Timed Up-and-Go (TUG) with a verbal task, known as the TUG dual-task (TUGdt). This study aims to find out if this combined test can help predict dementia, evaluate how well the test works, and create reference values from healthy individuals to compare results. The project is a multidisciplinary observational research effort led by Dalarna University. Participants include people undergoing memory assessments at two specialist clinics, as well as healthy volunteers matched by age. They perform tests including the TUG single-task and two types of TUG dual-task tests where they name animals or recite months backwards while moving. Other assessments include cognitive tests like the Mini-Mental State Examination and motor function tests such as balance and hand grip strength. Some participants are retested to check the reliability of the tests. During the study, participants are observed over up to 10 years to see if they develop dementia and to track their cognitive function levels. Researchers collect data from clinical evaluations, cognitive and motor tests, and the TUG tests to understand how these measurements relate to dementia risk. The study involves regular assessments and uses the clinical routine evaluations from memory clinics, without involving experimental treatments.

Uppsala-Dalarna Dementia and Gait Project